Bananas foster parfait: a real dessert, built entirely on AIP

A dessert made entirely of real, whole ingredients is worth the 5 minutes at the stove, whatever kind of day it has been. This one turns bananas and coconut cream into something that tastes like a genuine occasion.

Bananas are a source of potassium and vitamin B6, both involved in the everyday work the body does to stay steady, and the coconut oil and coconut cream bring fats the gut absorbs gently. The honey, 1 tablespoon across 4 servings, is there for flavor more than sweetness.

Layer it in a clear glass if you have one, so the warm banana and the cool cream show in bands. Let it chill, then sit down with it properly.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 4 medium bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon rum extract (omit for strict elimination, it is alcohol-based)
• 1 cup whipped coconut cream

Method

Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add half the banana slices along with the honey and cook until the pan begins to brown, about five minutes. A soft, partly mashed texture here is fine and even welcome.

Pull the pan off the heat. If you are past strict elimination and choose to use it, stir in the rum extract now; otherwise leave it out and the dessert holds together beautifully without it.

Divide the remaining raw banana slices among four bowls. Spoon the warm cooked banana over the top, then finish each with a quarter cup of whipped coconut cream.

Chill before serving so the layers set and the cream firms.

If you want it richer or simpler, coconut yogurt or an AIP-friendly ice cream stands in for the whipped coconut cream. Overripe bananas work well for the cooked portion.

*Adapted from a-clean-plate*

*Lower-sugar note: the sugar here is the bananas, not added sweetener. For a lighter serving, use a smaller portion, or blend in a splash of water or coconut milk to stretch the batch so each serving carries less.*